East Coast Academy
by Ebb
Summary: Gabriella Montez arrives at East Coast Academy, an elite boarding school in Albuquerque, NM, only to be thrown into a whirlwind of drama. M for language and mild smut. Various pairings, including Ta/Ch, Ta/Z, Ke/Ja, Tr/Sh, eventual Troyella.
1. I'm Not Afraid, I'm Just Scared

I'm not afraid

I'm not afraid. I'm just... scared.

Gabriella Montez walked down the carpeted hall of East Coast Academy, anxiety bubbling in her like popcorn in a microwave. To her right was a seemingly endless wall of smooth, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked several acres of manicured lawns dotted with kids playing Frisbee or enjoying the sunshine. To her right was a long expanse of bulletin boards overfilled with flyers and papers of every florescent color imaginable. The only fractures in this sea of paper were the occasional hallways that branched off into a maze of doors and corridors. When she finally reached the end of the hall, she made a left, then veered right into the next opening in the wall, then finally started counting the doors. Three twenty one, tree twenty two, the gold letters on the red doors read. Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief that she had followed the instructions correctly when she saw she was getting close. Three thirty, three thirty one, the doors zoomed by. Finally, Gabriella arrived at three thirty nine. She guessed her roommate was already inside because the door was slightly ajar and she could hear voices on the other side. Arguing voices.

"Will you stop unpacking her things already? I've got to be in New York by nine tomorrow. She can do it herself!" a man said, clearly exasperated.

"Don't worry, your flight will be fine," a woman replied crisply. "Excuse me for taking some interest in our daughter."

"Buying her things with my money isn't interest. If you want to show some interest, leave her alone already. Oh, God, it's already three."

Gabriella peered into the room. Through the small crack, she managed to see a small black boy sitting on a bed in a crisp school uniform, slouched over a thick book with tiny print. Gabriella wondered how the boy wasn't affected by the fighting in front of him. Deciding against knocking and interrupting the people, Gabriella leaned against the wall and sighed.

"And since when does she wear this kind of underwear?"

"Richard, it is underwear. Leave it alone. Jonathan, don't slouch!" the woman snapped.

Without glancing up from his book the boy sat bolt upright.

The man sighed. "Whatever, Katharine. Let's just get the hell out of here."

Just then, a very pretty girl, possibly the boy called Jonathan's sister, turned a corner, carrying a can of soda covered in water droplets from the vending machine. She walked up to the Gabriella, looked her up and down, and asked in a sneering tone, "Can I help you?"

"Um, yes, maybe. I just, thought this was going to be my room. I didn't know I was interrupting. They must have made a mistake. I'll go back to the office and-" Gabriella rambled, clearly intimidated.

"Oh, I'm sorry. No, forget that. This is your room. I'm sorry," the girl said, suddenly smiling warmly. "Really, it's nothing personal. People just tend to eavesdrop in this school; it gives them something to talk about. I'm Taylor."

"Gabriella."

"Nice to meet you. Okay, let's go clear my folks out."

"What-?" Gabriella started, but Taylor had already flung the door open, revealing a very good-looking, aristocratic couple that stood face to face, arguing heatedly.

"If you didn't use so much Botox, I – oh, hey sweetie." Just like Taylor, the man's face quickly melted into a grin. "Is this a friend?"

"Mommy, Daddy, this is my roommate, Gabriella."

"Pleasure to meet you!" both parents exclaimed as they shook hands with Taylor.

"Well," her father began, "I think it's time for us to clear out. Goodbye, Taylor, Gabriella. Come on, Jonathan."

The boy on the bed quickly got up and scampered after his father, who couldn't seem to leave the room fast enough. The mother, on the other hand, seemed much more reluctant.

"Oh, my God, Taylor!" She exclaimed as she rushed to hug her daughter. Tears filled her eyes as she squeezed the girl tightly, and Gabriella suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "My little girl. All right, your father insists that we leave now, but I'll miss you so, so much. Oh, also, I raised the limit on your credit card, just in case." Finally, she released her daughter, who seemed completely unaffected by her mother's gushing emotions.

"Bye, mom."

"Goodbye, sweetie. It was nice meeting you, Gabriella." The woman sniffed as she left the room.

Gabriella looked around the room, not quite sure what to say.

"Freak show, aren't they?" Taylor asked as she scooped the carefully-folded clothing out of a drawer and dumped them on the floor. "She never listens. I specifically told her, don't touch my stuff." She started folding the pile of clothing again and rearranging it in the drawers. "Ok, so that's your bed, and your closet," she said as she nodded toward a small, but cozy bed with a closet door next to it. "Bathroom's across the hall. I don't tolerate messiness or lights on after I've gone to bed. Don't use my shampoo, don't touch my stuff, and turn off the sounds on your AIM. Other than that, we'll be completely cool. You in?"

"Sure."

"Oh, one more thing. If you ever even touch Zeke Baylor, terrible things will happen to you. Got it?"

"Yes." Gabriella didn't know how to feel about Taylor. She was hot one minute, cold the next, and it was hard to judge what kind of person she really was.

"All right. So, is there anything you want to know about our fabulous institution?"

"Um, no. I'm okay for now."

Taylor shrugged and went back to unpacking.

"Um, I feel kind of gross from the long train ride. I'm going to go take a shower," Gabriella said as she took her toiletry bag out of her duffel bag.

"Go for it."

As the hot water beat down over Gabriella's body, she tried to reflect on her day. It was always hard saying goodbye to her mother before a long time apart, and it didn't help that she had to take a five hour train ride, followed by a bus, just to get to school. She was so nervous that she was practically shaking as she approached the main office and got her room assignment, school manual, and welcome speech. Then, finally, she thought she would have a panic attack when Taylor showed her so much attitude when she didn't know her. It was always so hard to start out in a new school, and Gabriella had never been to one as elite as East Coast. Though the admissions board would've begged to have her, she thought she barely made it in.

Suddenly, the door to the shower slid open, and Gabriella stared in shock at a beautiful blonde girl that stood before her expectantly, her eyebrows raised.

Gabriella turned off the water and grabbed her towel in an attempt to cover herself. She didn't realize she'd left the door unlocked. "Um, uh, hi," she stammered.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" the blonde asked. "I need to do stuff in here. Get out."

"Oh, all right. But, is there possibly another bathroom-?"

"Yes. Down the hall, to the right. Now get out."

"Oh, well, all right. Just, I need a minute for my clothes and stuff, if you don't mind that is." Gabriella hated how easily she was intimidated, especially by these East Coast girls, but couldn't help it; they all seemed so powerful next to her.

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Are you Taylor McKessie's roommate?"

"Yeah, I think. Her first name's Taylor anyway." Gabriella felt extremely uncomfortable and wanted more than anything for the other girl to leave.

The blonde rolled her eyes. Once the shock started to wear off, Taylor got a good look at the girl. She was dressed in tight white skinny jeans, a bright pink tank top, and white heels. She looked like a regular Bitchy Barbie.

"Hey! What the fuck are you doing, Sharpay?" Taylor barked from the bathroom doorway. Gabriella sighed in relief, hopeful that Taylor would save her.

The girl called Sharpay scoffed. "Um, this is my bathroom now, and I want it, so this little newbie needs to skedaddle. Okay?"

"You are seriously fucked up, Sharpay. Leave the poor girl alone."

"Excuse me?"

"Excuse me?" Taylor mimicked.

"Oh! You are such a-"

"Guys!" Gabriella interjected softly, "can I have like, a minute?"

"Yes. We'll leave." Taylor decided for the both of them.

"I'm not-" Sharpay started, but was forcibly dragged out of the bathroom.

"Finish your shower, Gabby!" Taylor yelled before slamming the door.

Gabrielle's heart was hammering. She had never encountered so much conflict in a day. She heard occasional snippets of gossip, but most of it didn't compare to heated arguments in bathrooms. She was used to all things tame, to drama only in her books, and screaming mostly from afar. This was going to be an interesting year.


	2. Overgrown Showdogs

Overgrown Showdogs

Sharpay Evans examined herself in the large mirror she had put up in her private room. Everything seemed to be in perfect order, from each strand of golden hair to her pouty pink lip gloss to her flawless skin. She fidgeted a bit with her bright pink tank top, Juicy Couture of course, making sure that her cleavage would be in plain view when she bent over. She leaned in to smudge the tiniest trace of misplaced eyeliner away before blowing a kiss at her reflection. As always, she looked stunning, perfect to be presented to Troy.

Sharpay had decided that this would be her year with Troy, her year for everybody to come to the show, and her year for finally crushing Taylor McKessie. Sure, she had been hooking up with Troy for some time, but he always had at least one other girl to keep him company, and Sharpay was always used. But not this time. This year, everything would change.

Sliding on a pair of oversized pink Channel sunglasses, Sharpay breezed out of her extravagantly pink room, heading toward the cafeteria to greet her future boyfriend.

When she finally saw him, her eyes sparkled deviously. He had gotten tanner and stronger over the summer, and his blue eyes looked spectacular against his sun-kissed skin. Sharpay couldn't wait for him to be hers.

She glided over to his table and casually slung a hand over his shoulder. "Hey, Sweetie, how was your summer?"

Most of the cheerleaders and basketball players sitting at Troy's lunch table looked up at Sharpay, who wasn't shy about letting her cleavage show as she bent over to talk into Troy's ear. Sharpay didn't care that people were staring, though. She didn't care if people thought she had no class, or that she was some common whore. She was a woman that knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to get it.

"Hey, Sharpay," Troy responded. In public, he was always polite but somewhat distant around her, as though he didn't want to seem too tied down to her. That would have to be something else Sharpay would have to change that year. "The summer was great."

"Really, me too! I spent most of it in Spain, it was so fun. And, to top it off, while I was there I got a call from Darbus about our play this year. Speaking of, you thinking of finally auditioning this year?" Sharpay asked.

Troy shrugged and turned to Sharpay. "I don't know, sweetie," he said softly as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. A few cheerleaders exchanged jealous looks. "I'm really booked with basketball. You know my dad."

"You couldn't find just a little time for me?" Sharpay cooed. "I could certainly return the favor," she added in a whisper.

Troy's eyebrows rose. "Come here, sweetie. Let's talk."

Sharpay already knew the deal. To "talk" with Troy Bolton meant to go make out in the janitor's closet. Not that she minded; as long as she got publicity for the musical she would undoubtedly star in, and she got to make out with the hottest boy in school, she wasn't opposed to a little bribing.

He led her hurriedly to his favorite closet, shutting the door behind them quickly. Troy kissed her almost instantly, hungry for her. Sharpay knew how horny teenage boys get, and used that knowledge, along with her good looks, to get whatever she wanted.

After a few moments of kissing, Troy's hands wandered under her tank top, pushing the tight material up. Sharpay took the initiative to dispose of the article, and then left Troy to work on her pink lacy bra.

Troy's tongue probed inside her mouth gently as they kissed passionately, though no real passion existed between them; both were horny and both wanted something from the other. It may not have been a very healthy relationship, but Sharpay had learned much from her parents, and knew that it was the best way to not only get along, but to survive in life.

"Sharpay?" Troy groaned against her mouth.

Sharpay worked hard to suppress a grin, proud of her successful seduction. He was hers. "Yeah?" she moaned back, putting much more lust into her voice than she felt.

"Baby, what do you say we take this to the next step?"

"What do you mean?" Sharpay asked innocently as she dropped to her knees. "Like this?" She undid the button of his pants.

Troy seemed beyond words at that point, and all he managed was an enthusiastic nod.

When they finished,Troy leaned against the wall, a little groggy and disoriented, and Sharpay leaned against him, still topless.

"So, Troy. How about the play?"

"I'll think about it, Sharpay, all right?"

No, it wasn't all right. Not by Sharpay's standards. She figured that to get something, you must do something in return. She did Troy his favor, and where was the reciprocation? Clearly, she would have to redouble her efforts.

--

"Never listen to anything Sharpay Evans tells you. She's a huge bitch, and a slut. Trust me; I went to middle school with this girl. In the summer before tenth grade, she went to this really ritzy summer camp, and lost her virginity to one of the counselors. Everybody at camp found out, and then everybody at school found out. She deserves it though; she's completely evil. All she cares about is musicals, and she is willing to do whatever she needs to, as long as she's the star. And you know what? She's just bitter because her parents only let her go out for a few real auditions, and the best she ever got was understudy for an off-Broadway thing," Taylor ranted as she sat with her new roommate on her bed, flipping through old Cosmopolitan magazines while Gabriella listened to some prime gossip.

"Oh. So why did she declare the bathroom to be hers?"

"Because she likes to move in on new territory as soon as it becomes available. She thinks that since you're new, you'll let her take your bathroom shelf and all that."

"You guys seemed to be at each other's throats. Why the bitter rivalry between you two?"

Taylor rolled her eyes. "It's something from middle school. It's not important."

Gabriella could tell that this was a touchy subject for Taylor, so she decided to turn the conversation in a different direction.

"So, who else is of interest around here?"

"Well, it depends on who you ask. If you ask Sharpay or anybody else with only half a brain, they'll tell you Troy the Basketball Boy."

"Who?"

"Troy Bolton. The David Beckham of ECA, our biggest celebrity, whose main goal in life is scoring baskets and hooking up with cheerleaders and Barbie dolls."

"Oh. Sounds interesting," Gabriella offered, not quite sure how to respond.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

--

"Hey, Bolton!" Zeke Baylor shouted as Troy returned to his lunch table, hoping the triumphant look on his face didn't give him away too much.

When Troy sat down, he accepted Zeke's high five.

"So, what was that? Did the ice queen finally melt?"

A few cheerleaders looked up from their lunch as Zeke's question caught their attention.

Troy shrugged, hoping to seem mysterious. "No, of course not. You know she only goes for twenty-year-old camp councilors," he said as he glanced at Manya, a beautiful cheerleader with short blonde hair, big blue eyes, and the ability to bend her body into a pretzel.

A few guys around the table chuckled knowingly. Troy knew that nearly everybody on the basketball team knew about him and Sharpay. All he had to give her was a 'maybe' about her precious play, and she would be, literally, on her knees. It was a beautiful dynamic, and one that he wanted to keep going for as long as it could be contained between them and his boys. The only reason he would stop, in fact, was if Manya got too suspicious and ruined any chance he had with her. The whole affair with Sharpay was just a distraction to Troy, something to entertain himself with while Manya was single. After all, he was raised with little else but basketball on his mind, and, for a serious relationship, he couldn't imagine anyone but a cheerleader.


	3. Wow, an Einstinette

**All right, so I'm trying to update this on Sundays, but last Sunday my motherboard had crashed and I didn't have access to any outlines. Naturally, before I knew my hard drive was safe, I was going crazy. So, all is well now and we should be back on schedule this Sunday. Sorry for the late update.**

Wow, an Einstinette

"East Coast has one of the most extensive libraries of any high school in the country…"

The moment Gabriella first read that quote in the school handbook she had committed it to memory. Gabriella loved libraries – she loved the feel and smell of books whether new or old. She loved the quite, the dense, intelligent atmosphere, and the unspoken vow of respect in a library. The handbook didn't lie, either; East Coast's library was one of the most beautiful buildings she had ever been in, decorated elaborately with staid stone gargoyles guarding the entrance, tall Corinthian columns on the inside, endless marble halls, and beautifully painted domed and arched ceilings. In short, being in the East Coast library was like being in a palace. It had a main Reading Room scattered with sumptuous leather couches and fine Oriental carpeting, topped off with a biblical scene playing itself out on the domed ceiling and a large, roaring fire in the mantle at the far end of the room. Branching off from the Reading Room were about a dozen different libraries, each catering to a different specialty, and each its own vast maze of mahogany bookcases stuffed full of thick, leather-bound volumes.

After asking for directions several times, Gabriella finally found the Fiction Room, decorated with an appropriately whimsical, fairy-tale scene on the ceiling. Gabriella took her time in browsing through the shelves, slowly inhaling the unmistakable smell of library. Finally picking out a few thick volumes to occupy her for a few hours in the Reading Room and keep her away from Sharpay and the evil glances she would throw Gabriella's way. Never in her life did she have a real enemy, and now somebody was out to get her before the orientation period even ended.

Gabriella settled down in a plush leather sofa and curled up with a glamorous, sexy '40s mystery. Half an hour later, when Gabriella was 100 pages into the book, fully engrossed, a crash sounded from some twenty feet away. Pulled suddenly from a smoke-filled underground den in a seedy part of Chicago, Gabriella became suddenly aware of a small, pale girl, unassuming and plain but with a cute prettiness all her own, that had sent a tower of biology textbooks scurrying to the floor.

The girl, apparently aware that she had been noticed, looked up to meet Gabriella's soft brown eyes with liquid-blue ones. "I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I'm such a klutz. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." She kneeled down to start picking up her books.

Gabriella smiled, empathizing with the familiar shyness in the girl. "Here, let me help you," she said softly as she got up and started closing the distance between them.

"Thanks so much. Oh, my god. I can't believe myself. My bio teacher gave me all this summer work so that I wouldn't fail the class; apparently I ditched too many bio periods last year. Anyway, I spent the whole summer with the piano, now I have all this biology that I don't know how to do," the girl ranted, somewhat desperately.

"Ooh, that sucks. I'm sorry. But hey, I wasn't that bad at bio. What are you doing, maybe I can help?"

The girl breathed a sigh of relief, obviously glad that at least somebody would help her.

"I'm Gabriella, by the way," Gabriella added as she took a seat next to the girl.

"Kelsi," the girl responded with an adorable, girly smile. "So, do you understand cytokinesis at all?"

--

"Zeke! Zeke!" Taylor screamed as soon as she spotted her six-foot-two boyfriend near his housing unit.

Zeke turned around abruptly at his girlfriend's voice, just in time to catch her when she jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

Taylor kissed Zeke, hard and on the mouth. "I missed you!"

Zeke smiled broadly, obviously pleased that such a beautiful girl was so wrapped up in him – literally – especially in front of most of the basketball team, which was now smirking and patting him on the back before moving on to give them some privacy. "I missed you too. I can't believe I spent a whole summer cooped up in Michigan without you," he muttered in her ear as he squeezed her tight. "Is your room open?"

"Already trying to get me out of my pants, are you?" Taylor joked as she untangled her legs from Zeke.

"Come on, you know what I mean…"

"Yeah, yeah. I have a new roommate, and I don't know if she'll be there now. How about you?"

"No, I think Chad is in there with Diane."

"Oh. Well, how about the library?" Taylor suggested mischievously. Something about Zeke brought out the wild side of Taylor. His spontaneity, love of adventure, and addiction to the thrill of taking a risk wore off on Taylor when they were together.

"Hmm, library sounds good. Come on."

They charged toward their secret space; the back of the Fiction Room, on the cushioned window seat, usually pressed up against the high stained glass windows. When Zeke finally got his girl pinned down under him, kissing fervently the lips he had been deprived of for two months. Taylor nearly felt overwhelmed at his hunger, his eagerness. It was so thrilling to know how much he wanted her.

Taylor knew that Zeke didn't come from the best neighborhood, and she knew that when he was barely a teenager there were already plenty of girls ready to lend him "experience". She knew that he had quite a history before dating her, and so was completely amazed at his devotion to her and his affirmations to wait as long as she needed before sex. They had used hands before in their play, and occasionally mouths, but that was as far as it went.

Now, kissing Zeke reminded Taylor of why she was so inexplicably, uncontrollably drawn to him. She loved that when he held her, she belonged to him, and he was proud of her and completely unwilling to let her go.

With his lips now at the crook of her neck, sucking just enough to leave a mark, Taylor moaned softly. His fingers swam under the edge of her shirt, smoothly working over the soft waves of her hips and stomach. Taylor was never as disgusted by her body as other girls were with their's. In fact, with her attractive backside and double-D breasts she didn't care about the soft, feminine curves that defined silhouette. Taylor was quite fond of every part of her body and knew that it was much more, say, enjoyable, than any two-grapes-on-a-toothpick girl that was easy to find at East Coast.

Zeke's large, strong hands cupped the firm, silky material of Taylor's bra, working over the surface of the bright purple fabric in soft, rhythmic circles. Taylor sighed softly, loving the reminder of all the attention she gets from her boyfriend. Their kiss grew more passionate, but the pair knew they couldn't actually remove their clothing, no matter how deserted the library usually was.

Finally, they broke apart, panting slightly, exhilarated by the touch and motion of each other's bodies.

After another hour of talking about the summer and the coming year, snuggling in the warm yet dignified silence of the library, the couple finally got up and left, glad to see nobody but that drama-nerd, Kelsi What's-her-face in the Reading Room on the way out.

--

The next day at lunch, Gabriella sat with Kelsi, preferring her quiet, refined, somewhat dark sense of humor to the chaotic zoo that was Taylor's table, shared with the basketball team. Though Gabriella never met Zeke, she assumed he was the good-looking tall guy that Taylor was sitting next to. It was the Popular Kids' Table; Gabriella had seen one at every school, and though she knew her quiet personality was in natural discordance with their rambunctious, attention-seeking ones, she always managed to feel the sour twist of envy in her chest when she heard their obnoxious laughter, the roaring that screamed out "we own this school".

Suddenly, Taylor looked up from her food to catch Gabriella's eye. Blushing slightly, hoping that she didn't look like she had been staring, Gabriella turned her eyes back to her lunch. Too late; Taylor had stood up and signaled enthusiastically for Gabriella to join them. Gabriella tried to quietly gesture that she wasn't interested, but more and more curious faces from Taylor's table turned toward her and, wanting to get their eyes off her by any means possible, Gabriella excused herself politely and carried her tray over the Popular Kids' Table.

**Okay, dear readers. It is at this point that I ask for reviews. The reason for this is that I have no beta for this story, so I have no way of knowing if it sounds like crap. Thank you so much to all my readers and thank you so much again to all those who reveiw; it means a lot. **


	4. Wildcats in the House!

**Looks like Christmas came early this year, kiddies! Enjoy the chapter, ahead of schedule. **

Wildcats in the House!

"Hey Gabby!" Taylor exclaimed as she made room for her friend. "Okay, this is my roommate, Gabriella. And this is Zeke," – Taylor wrapped an arm around his waist – "Manya, Troy, Diane, Chad, and Jason."

Gabriella tried to pay attention to the names, but lost track completely at Troy. Everybody at the table was beautiful in that arrogant, elite way, but Troy just seemed perfect. He was tall, though Gabriella couldn't be sure of his exact height while he was sitting down, with an athletic body, tanned skin and the most piercing blue eyes she'd ever looked into. Gabriella was used to having crushes on boys she didn't have the courage to talk to, but this was different. It felt like the air in the room was suddenly thinner, and Gabriella was getting a little lightheaded. Time seemed to slow down like in a clichéd movie. The other names didn't even register – she was lost in those eyes.

"Um, uh, h-hi," Gabriella stammered before casting her eyes down into her lunch, blushing furiously.

"Hey," Troy responded, smiling softly at her.

Gabriella expected to be made fun of for her clumsy, obvious reaction to Troy, but apparently nobody noticed, and if they did they only exchanged knowing looks.

Gabriella glanced over at Kelsi, who was sitting alone now, her gently curved face hung over a music book in which she was scribbling notes to herself and making corrections. The day before, when Gabriella first met Kelsi, she found out that aside from nearly failing biology, Kelsi was a composer, and had written the play for this year's Winter Musical over just one summer. Kelsi looked a little lonely, but serene, and Gabriella didn't know if she really preferred Kelsi's understated company to the feeling of this group's eyes dancing over her skin, undoubtedly judging her.

All the boys at the table, Gabriella was quick to notice, had on their signature Wildcat track suits, unmistakable basketball team members, and the girls all wore tight white t-shirts that said Wildcats Cheer on them in proud red letters. The only exception to the red-and-white Wildcats gear was Taylor, who wore a tight black miniskirt with a crisp white button-down shirt and light gray cardigan.

The conversation dove into talk of – what else – basketball, so Gabriella could zone out and observe the Wildcats in their natural habitat. To Gabriella, Troy seemed extraordinarily bent on Manya, and Gabriella couldn't blame her. The girl was breathtaking; blonde, cute, petite, and curvy. She had a perfect giggle and clear, bright blue eyes. Tory looked at her adoringly, as though she was something absolutely precious. Gabriella wondered what it would be like to have that gaze thrown her direction, and again the green-eyed monster bit into her side. She couldn't believe that Manya wasn't returning the attention. In fact, she seemed to be completely oblivious. Despite this, Gabriella had to admit to herself, somewhat sourly, that they would make a great couple.

Luckily, Manya's attention seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

--

How could a single person get so good-looking? Manya wondered to herself dreamily as she laughed along with something Jason Cross had said. Jason was so lovable and sweet; he had soft brown eyes, messy brown hair, and an inexplicable inability to make his jokes funny. In some ways, he could even be described as nerdy, but only in the absolute cutest sense of the word. Besides, with a body like his he could be as nerdy as he wanted, Manya was already hooked.

Manya wasn't used to being denied when it came to guys. She was beautiful and popular and knew it. With a little innocent charm and batting her long black eyelashes she could have anybody. But something was different about Jason. She didn't want to screw this one up; she wanted him to be hers for longer than a fortnight. So far, though, he seemed completely oblivious to her desires. He flirted with her in his goofy, somewhat clumsy manner, but never asked her out, something that confused Manya to no end. Meanwhile, she was all too aware that Troy Bolton wanted her, and she would have no excuse for turning him down if she wasn't with Jason. The unspoken rule of conduct at East Coast was that in exchange for winning their basketball games and bringing glory to the school, any key basketball players should never be denied the girls they wanted, especially cheerleaders. But hey, Troy should be kept satisfied by Sharpay, right? It wasn't Manya's responsibility to please the basketball champ, not at this point anyway. She had a different player in mind, and she wouldn't be deterred from her objective.

--

"Kelsi, Kelsi!"

Kelsi turned around, scanning the sun-drenched lawn for the voice that called her over insistently. Finally, her eyes caught Taylor, Zeke, and Jason sitting together, along with Gabriella, who was waving her over. Kelsi wasn't especially in the mood to talk to these people. Taylor she didn't mind too much, but Kelsi knew all too well that the basketball boys thought nothing more of her than "that dorky drama nerd". She liked Gabriella, though; Gabby seemed like a sweet girl, and obviously smart, too. Kelsi didn't really understand why Gabriella hung out with these popular kids though. She supposed that getting a room with Zeke's girlfriend was very close to winning the dorm lottery.

Somewhat reluctantly, Kelsi approached. She dropped her bag and sat down next to Gabriella.

"Um, who are you?" Taylor asked, somewhat rudely. Kelsi took it that she was a girl that didn't especially like her social circles interrupted.

Zeke looked at her skeptically, obviously not pleased with the new addition to their clique, while Jason smiled awkwardly.

"Oh, Taylor, Zeke, Jason, this is Kelsi," Gabriella said in that cheery tone of hers, flashing that winning smile.

A halfhearted round of "hey"s and "sup"s later, Kelsi found herself the awkward third – or in this case fifth – wheel. She looked down at her beaten-up black high-top Converses, blushing at her own social deficiencies.

"So…" Gabriella started, clearly trying to fill the gap in the conversation, "Kelsi, when are the auditions for this year's play?"

Kelsi suddenly found herself in her element – discussing the school play. The tightness in her stomach unwound slightly. "Oh, later this month. It's going to be really fun; you guys should audition," she started, before realizing she was rambling and blushing again.

"That sounds really cool," Jason offered.

Kelsi looked up, surprised that a bona fide Basketball Boy said something supportive, something nice to her. She looked up into his eyes, but then had to immediately look away because her breath caught in her throat. Kelsi had never looked at Jason at such a close distance, and now could make out every soft, yet masculine, line of his face, and look into his chocolate, soft eyes. He had a crooked sort of smile and a charm that was so unlike Troy's; he seemed unassuming, modest, and happy. Most importantly, he seemed to blush when looking at her. Maybe Kelsi had misjudged the Basketball Boys after all.

--

When Kelsi finally left, Taylor turned to the two boys and Gabriella. "Diane convinced Chad to have the first Wildcats Party in his room next Saturday night!" she announced, happy to be the first to spread the news. Diane, Chad's longtime girlfriend, was good friends with Taylor, so whenever Diane arranged a party – and she was usually the one that took care of these things – Taylor was first to know.

Taylor looked around at everybody, gauging their reactions. Zeke, as usual, was psyched for a chance to get drunk and dance in a dimly-lit dorm room. Jason, also true-to-form, gave that mysterious, somewhat clumsy smile of his and his eyes darkened with subdued excitement. Gabriella smiled, though it was obvious that she was terrified at the prospect of going to a real high school party.

Taylor didn't want to make Gabriella uncomfortable, but at the same time she liked her new roommate, and knew that Gabriella would never be initiated into their group if she didn't attend their parties.

"You're coming, right Gabby?" she asked tentatively.

"Um, yeah, I guess," Gabriella replied, clearly uncomfortable with refusing.

"Great!"

Taylor knew that she was pressuring Gabriella into going, but hoped that once Taylor would help Gabriella with her hair and makeup, she would be excited to show off a little.

--

Diane Grace had the softest lips. Chad really liked kissing Diane, even if it wouldn't lead to sex. When she wasn't all over him, when they could just cuddle and kiss on the bed, talking occasionally, Chad loved her company. He was one of the few guys in the school that wouldn't jump at the opportunity to screw the petite and curvy Diane, and ironically he was the only one that had such an opportunity. Contrary to his reputation as a player, in private he wanted more than sex, though he rarely refused sex, and loved to just kiss a girl quietly.

"So, I'm thinking I could get somebody to get two Smirnoff bottles in, but I do the keg this time. Do you have anybody for that?" she asked as though they were in a business meeting.

"Yeah, yeah. I know somebody that'll do it. Let's worry about the party later, though," Chad cooed as he kissed her again.

"Okay." She kissed him back, eagerly. He responded fervently. Clothing was cast around the room urgently and they went at each other like – what else? – Wildcats.

**I am getting a very low number of reviews compared to any other story I've written for this site. To be honest, it's slightly disappointing, but the number of hits is decent, so thanks for reading at least!**


	5. You're Coming With Me to the After Party

You're Coming With Me to the After-Party, Right?

Chad Danforth sat up in his bed, his sheets and skin washed out by the feeble moonlight tilting in through the window. His body was cooling down from orgasm, as was Diane's, though she was happily asleep next to him. Chad looked at his girlfriend. She was beautiful, extraordinarily so, with skin the color of chocolate and hair the color of coffee. She had an unbelievably curvy body, not like that garbage in magazines; she had big breasts and a butt that curved like a beach ball. Rumors had gone around that she had breast implants, but they sure felt real enough. Despite this, she kept the toned arms, legs, and tummy of a cheerleader. She had to, after all, or she would be kicked off the squad and, most likely, her circle of friends.

Chad should have been happy. Anyone would have been happy with Diane; she was the stuff of fantasies. But Chad found her so empty. He tried – he tried hard to feel that spark with her, to force it to happen, but it didn't work. She wasn't a terrible girlfriend by any means, and so he didn't want to hurt her, plus it looked good to be seen with Diane Grace in halls. She was sweet and understanding – when she wanted to be. Otherwise, she could be a little annoying and self-centered. Chad closed his eyes and summoned in his mind's eye the girl he really wanted, that which was forbidden completely. It wasn't her smooth skin or somewhat curvy body he wanted; it was the way she moved, the unmistakable chemistry he felt with her. Taylor McKessie was the image in his head, nude, as always, wanting only him. But it was wrong – he knew that very well. Not only was Taylor friends with Diane, but Zeke was one of Chad's best friends.

--

I will have a hickey tomorrow. Dad will be pissed. Guys will notice. Manya… fragmented thoughts swam around in Troy's head. He couldn't put a full idea together with Sharpay was sucking on his neck so expertly. No, stop. But it feels so good. You can always hide a hickey. No – no.

"Okay, Sharpay, I really can't have a hickey tomorrow. I'm sorry," Troy said, honestly sorry that she would have to stop her ministrations. He pushed her away gently.

"Oh, fine. Can I do this?" Sharpay responded as she kissed him full on the lips.

Oh, yes. Definitely, Troy thought as he responded to the kiss, wrapping his strong arms around her waist. Deep down, he knew that what he was doing with Sharpay was wrong. This wasn't just a random hookup; this was getting her hopes up, when really Troy wanted Manya. A part of him almost wished Sharpay wasn't as good at what she did, that she wouldn't wear those cute, tiny outfits and flaunt her cleavage, then kiss him so he couldn't resist. But, on the other hand, aside from the pleasure he got several times a week, he had the status of a god among the basketball team for his conquest, and didn't particularly want that to fade, either.

They were in a janitor's closet, as usual. Troy simply didn't want to take Sharpay to his room – it had certain romantic implications he didn't want to make.

"So, Troy. You going to Chad's party?" Sharpay asked as she let his lips go.

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I'm thinking of going," he responded, hoping this wouldn't turn into their first date.

"Okay, I'll see you there, gorgeous," Sharpay said as she tapped his nose with her index finger. Then, in a flash of long blond hair, she turned abruptly and left.

Whether or not Troy would see Sharpay there, he didn't especially care at that moment. He wasn't thought of as the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he could be perceptive when he wanted to be. He saw that Jason and that Kelsi girl liked each other for god knows what reason, and he knew who Manya's next choice would be if Jason was taken…

--

"How do I look?" Sharpay asked as she dotted bright pink lip gloss on the middle of her bottom lip.

"Gorgeous," Ryan Evans responded without glancing up at his twin sister. He flipped the page of Sharpay's Cosmopolitan lazily.

"Ryan, look at me! This is important. I need to look absolutely perfect if I'm going to get Troy to be mine tonight." She smudged some more black eyeliner under her eyes.

Ryan finally looked up, only to grimace slightly. "It's too much makeup. He'll think you're easy."

"Shut up, Ryan!" Sharpay exploded before turning back to the mirror. She looked at herself carefully then, when she was sure Ryan wasn't looking, took off some eye makeup. She didn't want to admit it, but he was right most of the time.

"So, are you going tonight or what?" Sharpay asked rudely.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," Ryan mumbled distractedly. He had stumbled upon an article full of sex tips.

Sharpay snatched the magazine away and threw to somewhere behind her. "Okay, listen. Since you're going, I need you to do a little something for me."

"What do you want?" Ryan asked, annoyed.

"I need you to convince Jason Cross to hook up with Manya."

Ryan first frowned, confused, then realization slowly dawned on him. "I think I can manage that."

--

"Ow, ow, OW! That's my ear!" Gabriella screamed as she shut her eyes, grimacing.

Taylor jumped and quickly snatched her flat-iron away. "Sorry!" she offered. "Don't worry, there isn't even a mark or anything. It's not as bad as when I burned by boob with a curling iron."

"These things are so awful!" Gabriella complained. "I like my hair curly, anyway!"

"Shh! I'm telling you, you'll look great. Stop squirming."

Gabriella made a childish huffing sound but stopped her groaning.

"What are you wearing tonight anyway?" Taylor asked.

Gabriella shrugged. "I don't know. A dress, I guess."

"What?" Taylor looked at Gabriella in shock and almost forgot to release a strand of her hair from the iron. "You can't just wear 'a dress' to the first Wildcats party of the year."

"What's a Wildcats party anyway?"

"It's just to honor our favorite team. They happen several times every year. Basically, you have to wear red and white, and whatever you wear should be kind of, you know, revealing." Gabriella seemed to pale slightly, so Taylor quickly added: "Nothing happens if you don't, it's just a sort of tradition. The parties are for the basketball team, so the girls are supposed to make the boys happy. No big deal. Okay, Gabby, your hair looks amazing. Take a look."

Gabriella raised the handheld mirror in front of her face. Her hair really did look phenomenal, gleaming like silk and pin-straight. "Wow, thanks, Taylor!"

Taylor instantly put on a very satisfied expression. "So, if you want to fit in with the cheerleaders, wear red hotpants and a Wildcats Cheer t-shirt two sizes too small. Otherwise, just wear a short white skirt and a red t-shirt; it doesn't really matter."

"Oh, well I don't really own a short skirt. Can I borrow?" Gabriella asked, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a short skirt in the first place.

"Yeah sure-" Taylor was interrupted by a sudden, yet soft, knock on the door.

"Come in!" Gabriella called as she started rummaging through Taylor's skirts. To her surprise, Kelsi poked her face into the room. "Hey, Kels. What's up?"

"Um, nothing. I just really needed some shampoo. We ran out in our bathroom and I thought that, since you're only around the corner-"

"No problem. Come on." Gabriella led Kelsi into the bathroom and starting pouring a handful of shampoo into a plastic sandwich bag that Kelsi was holding out.

"So, are you going to Chad and Diane's party tonight?" Gabriella asked cheerily.

Kelsi smiled awkwardly. "Um, I didn't know she was having a party tonight."

"Oh, well you should totally come," Gabriella insisted as they crossed the hall back to her room. "In Chad's room, tonight, around eight o'clock. Wear white and red."

Taylor turned from the mirror, where she was applying heavy eyeliner, clearly annoyed, but didn't say anything.

"I really don't think it's my thing, Gabriella," Kelsi muttered, trying to ease out of the situation.

"Seriously, Kelsi, you should come. Right, Taylor, she should come tonight?"

Taylor gave Gabriella a momentary serious look, then she managed to say "Sure, that would be great," with some sincerity.

"Um, well, okay. I'll see you there, then. Bye, Gabriella, bye Taylor!"

**Author's note: Taylor's mention of burning her boob with a curling iron actually happened to one of my best friends, so I give her some credit for the idea. **

**You know the drill: I love reviews, I think it's the decent thing to do if you review, and in all honesty, knowing that people like this enough to review gives me all the more incentive to write.**


	6. I Smell a Rat Named Darbus

I Smell a Rat Named Darbus

Jason was never really a party person. He didn't like being a darkened bedroom with most of the furniture emptied out to squeeze in the twenty-odd people that wanted entrance. The beds and desks were slipped into the neighboring room, leaving only a few end tables on which to put the alcohol. The music was loud, but not loud enough to attract the dorm advisors' attentions. Almost everybody was drunk, and some were dancing very suggestively. Jason was starting to feel claustrophobic. He couldn't stop thinking about Kelsi, and meanwhile felt caged in this room, unable to get to her. What would be the odds that she would show up here? These parties weren't her thing at all.

"Hey man!" a strange voice suddenly sounded near his ear, screaming over the music.

Jason turned to see Ryan Evans, Sharpay's twin brother. Jason was a little confused, as well as put off by Ryan. Not only was this somebody he'd barely ever talked to before, but already Jason didn't like Ryan, just because of his association to the school Ice Queen. Still, he had to be polite. "Hey, what's up?" he yelled back.

"Um, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh, yeah sure!" They squeezed out of Chad's room and closed the door behind them, the music suddenly drastically muffled. Jason wondered if Chad did something to the door to make it a little more soundproof.

"What's up, man?"

"Nothing much. I was just, you know wondering," Ryan started, looking very uneasy, "what do you know about Manya?"

Jason shrugged. "We're buddies. She's a good friend." Suddenly realization dawned on him. "Why?" he asked slyly, "Do you want me to set you up?"

"Oh, no, it's just, uh… Okay, see Manya has a little thing for you, and I was asked to talk to you for her."

Jason frowned. "Doesn't sound like Manya. She asked you to talk to me?"

Ryan took a moment to answer, as though considering his words. "Yes. She seems really great, and she's gorgeous, too. Just ask her to dance."

Jason looked Ryan up and down. "I, uh, I don't think so, man. I've got my eye on someone else."

"Oh really? Who?"

"Um, it's not important. She's not here, anyways."

"Well," Ryan said, "if she's not here, you might as well take the opportunity with Manya." He paused for a moment, looking Troy up and down. He sighed softly. "Or, you know, whatever feels right to you. If there's somebody else you want, then go for it."

"Hmm. Well, thanks for the heads up, Ryan. I gonna go back inside. See you."

That was possibly the most bizarre conversation Jason had had in a really long time. Jason pretty much knew that Manya liked him, he just didn't want her. Before he met Kelsi, she just seemed shallow. After he met Kelsi, however, she didn't even compare.

"Hey!" Troy yelled as he squeezed his way out of the small, yet dense crowd and gave Jason a high five.

Jason smiled, glad to at least be in the company of friends.

"Guess who I just saw here?" he asked.

"Um, who?" Jason responded, hoping the answer wouldn't be Manya.

"Kelsi Nielson."

Jason's heart seemed to drop in his chest. He hoped that not everybody knew about his little crush. "Oh, really?" he said, trying in vain to play it cool.

"Yeah. She looks really cute tonight. I dunno, maybe you'd want to dance or something," Troy suggested.

"Um, yeah. Maybe." With that, Jason started to make his way across the room, looking for Kelsi. His heart was pounding; it always made him nervous to see a girl he liked. Finally, he found her. Kelsi was in a corner, wearing baggy red East Coast sweatpants and a plain white t-shirt. To him, she couldn't have looked hotter even if she was wearing the cheerleaders' hotpants.

"Hey," he said as he approached her, trying to be brave but still coming off as timid.

"Hi," Kelsi replied, her eyes visibly lighting up when she saw him.

The happiness on her face gave Jason more confidence. "What's up?" the question sounded lame in his own ears, but he couldn't think of anywhere else to start.

Kelsi shrugged. "Nothing much," she replied as she smiled up at him. Jason wondered if she knew how coy she looked when she smiled like that.

"Me too. Kind of bored, actually." That's right, he thought, Play it cool.

Kelsi sighed softly. "Me too."

"Do you want to dance?" Jason heard himself suddenly blurt out.

"Oh. No, I really don't, you know, dance," Kelsi said, looking anywhere but at Jason, clearly flustered.

Jason laughed a little. "Me neither, actually." A moment of silence passed in which Kelsi looked into Jason's eyes again. Jason summoned up all his courage. "You wanna take a walk?"

"Sure."

Jason led Kelsi out of the dark, crowded room, into the quiet, well-lit hallway. They rounded a few corners without any particular destination in mind.

"I've never seen you at any of these parties before," Jason said.

"Yeah, they're usually not really my thing, but a friend convinced me to go."

Jason nodded. "I don't know. I always come to these things, because I'm supposed to, you know? But I never have that much fun. I don't drink that much and I don't really dance, either." He wondered why he was telling her all this, why he could suddenly let his guard down around her.

Kelsi smiled at him. "So you just go for your friends' sake, because you worry about what they think?" The question would have sounded like she was prying, but her voice was soft and curious, not nosy.

Jason sighed, truthfully unsure how to answer the question. "I guess. It's just like – every guy in this school wants to be on the basketball team, and sometimes I just feel like I don't deserve it, because I don't enjoy, or live up to, the social expectations." Again, Jason wondered how he could possibly give so much of himself away.

"But I heard you're great at basketball. That's all that matters."

"Yeah, I guess. You just feel it though; you have to be a certain way. Troy and Zeke and Chad are pros at that Wildcats attitude, and I'm not. They're still my best friends, but sometimes…"

"Yeah."

Suddenly, Jason heard muffled voices around the corner. Adult voices. "Oh, my god, that's Darbus, our dorm advisor. She's nuts," he whispered. He then forcefully pulled Kelsi in the opposite direction, turning several corners before slowing to a walk.

Somewhere in the distance, they could hear an enraged female voice saying: "I know I heard something in these halls. You better come out this instance; it is far past lights-out!"

A mumbled male voice could be heard, seemingly trying to calm the woman down.

"Oh my god, _Darbus _is your dorm advisor? I got in trouble with her for ditching English once, she can't catch me!" Kelsi said as quietly as possible as she took a few gulps of air.

"Come on!" Jason said as he grabbed her hand again. Although he was terrified of being in trouble with Darbus, he loved the thrill of doing something so dangerous, especially with Kelsi. He loved the feel of her hand as he led her along, and he felt like her own personal Superman, saving the damsel from the villain.

Jason ran along the corridors, trying as hard as he could to keep quiet. Finally, they reached a side door of the building, one that the guards never bothered to lock, and ran in the direction of the nearest bench. They sat down, laughing a little from the thrill and catching their breath. Jason knew he overreacted when he heard Darbus, but the adventure was fun. Besides, he realized when they sat down that he never did let go, and now her hand was shaking slightly.

"Wow," Kelsi said as she tried to catch her breath. "That was exciting."

"Well, excitement's my middle name." Jason was ready to beat himself up for blurting out something so undeniably cheesy, but relaxed when he heard Kelsi laughing.

When he laughter died down, Kelsi looked into Jason's eyes, her own eyes wide and questioning, rimmed with a sense of fun, then she looked down at their hands. Her face was illuminated by the moon and she looked magical in the silver light.

Jason followed her gaze and then their eyes met again. Jason's breath hitched in his throat. This was it; that frozen moment they show in movies before the characters kiss. So Jason leaned in a little closer.

"You cold?" If he was alone, he would have hit himself on the head for ruining the moment, but it was the only thing Jason could think to say. The air was rather chilly, but it was still practically summer.

"No."

And then they were kissing, Kelsi's soft lips pressing against Jason's. She was a little stiff at first, but then relaxed. Jason, a little more experienced than her, put a hand on her waist and she scooted closer to him.

--

**Review! Now! I'm telling you…**


	7. Start of Something New

**Start of Something New**

**Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I'll try to make up for it. The story fell into a bit of a rut and I had to work out a lot of the kinks before continuing, so here it is, back and hopefully better than ever.**

**This chapter is a smidgen shorter than the others, but I hope you'll find it interesting. **

"Troy…" Manya said in Troy's ear as they danced sensuously to a fast song.

"What?" he said back as his hands wound around her waist.

"I'm so glad you came tonight. I missed you over the summer." She leaned her head against Troy's shoulder.

Troy smiled. "Yeah, me too."

"Hey," Troy said softly as the song faded out. He nudged her gently. When he saw her look up at him with those bright, lively eyes, he continued. "You wanna go for a walk?" he asked apprehensively. He was lucky enough that Manya wanted to dance when she saw that Jason was gone, and didn't want to push his luck, but she did have a beer or two, and it was his only shot to show her that Jason has some other interest. To his delight, Manya's eyes brightened.

"Sure!" she exclaimed cheerily. Troy supposed that she was just happy that at least somebody wanted her company, but still took her agreement as a step forward.

He led her out of the room, the light suddenly hitting his eyes sharply. Squinting, he got his first good look at Manya that night. She looked even better than usual, with her blonde hair in loose curls and her eye makeup a little darker than usual. Her curvy body looked amazing in those tiny shorts and that painted-on t-shirt. Tugging on her hand gently, Troy led Manya around the corner, trying not to make it too obvious that he was looking for Jason. He looked around carefully, and started to get a little anxious when, after going through several hallways there was still no sight of him. It was by chance that, when passing by a long window, Troy caught two figures outside the window on a bench, kissing. Squinting slightly he could make out Jason's form and, next to him, that Kelsi girl.

"Hey, look," Troy said as he pointed out the pair, trying not to sound too excited. He eyed Manya closely as she looked out the window. She too had to squint slightly to make out who was on that bench. Finally, she paled slightly.

"Oh," was all she said, her eyes a mixture of surprise and suppressed sadness. "Is… is that Jason?" She stumbled over her words.

"Uh, yeah. And Kelsi Neilson," Troy said softly, the feeling of a plan clicking into place overpowered by a wave of guilt. He felt like a selfish child that had just been chastised by those sad blue eyes. Why was it so hard to enjoy this, if he knew it would happen? He anticipated that she would be upset, but assumed that it wouldn't matter if they would end up happy and together. Troy Bolton, Basketball Extraordinaire, had been reduced to a feeling of guilt and idiocy.

"I…" Manya's voice cracked. "I didn't know he was with anyone." She cleared her throat.

"Yeah, neither did I. I think it happened tonight." Troy was at a loss for words. No matter how bad he felt, he still didn't want to give up the opportunity with Manya.

"Well… good for him, then," Manya said decisively, sniffing a little. "I'm going back to my room." She reached up to sling her arms over Troy's neck, hugging him goodbye.

"How about I walk you?" Troy asked tentatively. He couldn't help being excited, knowing he was so close to his goal after wanting it for so long. He didn't want to sound too eager, but at the same time he didn't want to leave her.

"Okay," she responded as she gave him a small smile. She didn't seem too excited about them being alone, but at least she agreed.

They walked together, carefully crossing the space between their dorm buildings. Troy walked Manya to her door waited for her to unlock it, wondering anxiously if he would get an invitation inside.

"My roommate isn't coming until tomorrow; she's in Japan for the summer. Wanna come in?" Manya asked as she turned on the light and kicked off her shoes. She dumped herself on the bed summarily.

Troy wanted to say no. He knew that the invitation would lead to regrets on her behalf, and that whatever they would do wouldn't be "real". He knew that Manya was just full of emotion and wanted to spend it somehow, but still the offer was so tempting. He didn't even want to "do" anything at that point; he would have been content to just be in her company for a little longer.

"Sure."

"Come sit," Manya said as she patted the space next to her. Tentatively, Troy sat down.

"Troy Bolton," Manya said slowly to her ceiling, pronouncing each syllable slowly and clearly, as though trying to memorize it.

"What?" Troy asked as he leaned back and onto his side, supporting himself on his elbow.

"Troy," Manya repeated, facing him this time. She ran a hand through his hair as though fascinated by it, and then chuckled softly. "Wanna kiss?"

The next thing Troy knew they were kissing. Manya's lips soft and full and felt so good, so long-awaited against his. Any guilt he'd been feeling evaporated quickly as Troy leaned down over Manya, kissing her as best he could. Troy didn't even care that his feelings being unreciprocated; all that mattered was that moment. She was his right then.

--

Manya was entirely confused. Too much was happening for her to process it properly. First, the thing with Jason was practically crushing. Maybe she had been deluding herself, but she felt that she was close to making him hers, and now he was kissing some girl he didn't even know. She was a cheerleader, for God's sake, and a basketball player chose some quiet drama girl over her. When she looked out the window, she felt entirely unwanted, but then Troy was so ready to make her feel wanted again. He was so sweet in the attention he paid her the whole night, and Manya did want to kiss him when they got to her room. Her feelings toward him weren't quite what they were for Jason, but she did like his touch, and the way his arms felt around her waist. If she dared say so herself, he was a damned good kisser, too. What was wrong with Troy anyway? He was hot, the most popular boy in school, and he was showering her with attention. And, he was making her forget everything about… well, before.

"Troy," she said as she broke away from him.

Troy looked at her and she could tell that he was a little scared, as though she would banish him at any moment. "Yeah?"

Suddenly, when he was looking at her with those piercing blue eyes, all the words she had backed up in her mind scrambled together, and she lost her nerve. "I just…" Her hands ran up his arms. She felt so secure with him right then. "I think that maybe… we could, you know, like, I know it's really fast and everything but I've known you for two years already. I think – do you want to maybe, see each other?"

"Yes," came the reply, almost before she finished talking.

**I highly encourage and welcome reviews of any sort, just as a reminder. **


	8. This is Not What I Planned

This is Not What I Planned

Sharpay stormed down the halls, knocking an occasional defenseless flyer off the wall. Last night should have been _her_ night, but instead, Troy danced with that little slut, Manya, and then disappeared. Then, that morning, Ryan told her the rumor that he slept over in Manya's room. The very thought was infuriating. Couldn't she get her chance, just once? Sure, her methods were crooked, but didn't she deserve to be as happy as anyone else? Why did the cheerleaders always get the good guys, and why the hell was Kelsi Nielson making out with Jason? Did everybody get a chance but Sharpay?

There he was, in the grass, lying next to Manya the Slut, laughing lazily, his Chem. textbook lying haphazardly to the side. God, he looked so hot, and Sharpay knew that it was never too late to change a man's mind. She approached the couple in the sexiest way she could muster, her short, pink skirt bouncing gleefully behind her, almost revealing a little too much.

"Hey, Troy," she started as she bent down, her cleavage perfectly aligned with his eyes. She ignored Manya completely and didn't pay any attention to the 'skank!' look the blonde was giving her. "I missed you at the party last night." Sharpay noticed Troy's grip on Manya's hand tighten and got a bad feeling in her gut.

"Um, Sharpay, I think we need to talk."

Sharpay felt herself go cold at his words, which never meant good news. She might as well have turned on her heel and left right there, but still agreed sweetly and went off to a nearby bench with Troy.

"Sharpay, I'm sort of with Manya now," he started gently. Sharpay noticed Manya eyeing them curiously from a distance. "And, we sort of can't continue." He was speaking carefully, like she could suddenly break if he didn't handle the situation sensitively.

"Well, that doesn't mean we have to stop …" Sharpay offered as she leaned in slightly toward him and glanced down at his lips. She hated what she was saying and knew she sounded like a whore, but she couldn't help it; she'd rather be a casual hookup for him than absolutely nothing.

"No, Sharpay. Look, I'm … I'm sorry." He got up quickly and started to walk back over to Manya.

"Wait, Troy!" Sharpay called after him as she got up.

"What?" Troy responded with a tired expression on his face.

"We can still be friends, right?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah. Whatever. Friends." He turned quickly and walked away.

Sharpay plopped back down onto the bench. She felt something sharp bite at her chest. That was it. That was her chance. She was nothing but a whore to him, and the true reality of that only hit her then.

--

"Ugh! Oh my God, Ryan! Do you know whose fault this is?" Sharpay shrieked later that day as she paced furiously up and down her monstrously pink room.

"I'm guessing … Manya," Ryan ventured sarcastically from her bed, where he was lounging comfortably.

"You're damn right it's Manya! I'm going to get that little slut! And do you know who else?"

"Is it … somebody who actually has very little to do with anything?" Ryan guessed again.

"Shut up, Ryan! No, some of the blame rests on Kelsi Neilson's bony little shoulders."

Ryan burst out laughing. "Oh? And how do you figure that one?"

"It's not funny, Ryan, it's true! Because of her, Manya couldn't have Jason anymore. She's doing all this on purpose because I _improved _her pathetic little songs, and she will pay." Sharpay was furious, with her fists clenched and her jaw clamped shut. Only Ryan would dare interfere with her when she was like that.

"Whatever. I think you're nuts, but do whatever you want; count me out."

Sharpay gave a loud growl. "Then get out of here. I don't need you."

Ryan smirked. "Yeah. Whatever." He left quickly, closing the door behind himself.

She didn't care if Ryan didn't support her. She didn't need his help. Sharpay had her own special way of making herself feel better on days like this.

--

A loud moan resounded against the four walls of the cramped bedroom, followed by short, masculine grunts. Sharpay's hands ran up the lengths of the man's arms. "That feels so good," she said softly as she threw her head back.

The guy rested his head in the crook of her neck, kissing the skin just above her collarbone. He moved quickly in and out of her, right up to the point where things got to a fever pitch.

The atmosphere was thick and heavy with the scent of sex and sweat, and by the various animalistic sounds reverberating across the room anybody could tell they were close to finishing.

Finally, with a grunt and a jolt, the world froze for a moment. Then, her partner rolled off her, hitting the bed beside her with a heavy thud.

"Thanks baby," he said as he smoothed a strand of her hair.

Sharpay gave a smile but didn't mean it. This time, it felt so much more empty than usual. It didn't give her any of that satisfaction, that feeling of being wanted. She felt more used than ever.

After a few moments to cool off, the guy got up and got dressed, right up to his jersey, number 72.

"Hey," he said just before exiting, "do you know that Gabriella girl at all?"

Sharpay shook her head. The guy left, the door clicking behind him softly. Why would he ask about another girl right after finishing with her? Since when was Zeke Baylor such an asshole?

--

After finishing the ill-fated conversation with Sharpay, Troy returned to Manya, who eyed him critically as he approached her. It wasn't that she thought Troy was bad looking. In fact, she thought quite the opposite. He was definitely hot, but there was something missing. She knew him as a friend more than anything else, and though she knew that many girls were after him, she was more preoccupied with Jason. Last night had hurt her, and this sudden, budding relationship didn't do much to make her feel better. The fact was that she had missed the boat, and somebody else took her place.

Troy's hand felt warm and comfortable in hers, but it wasn't magic. If she ran a hand up his arm, she could feel his rippled muscles and if she leaned in she could feel his warm breath on her lips and know that this was the guy everybody wanted, and with good reason. There actually was something a little trippy about looking into his endless blue eyes, and Manya could see how much he cared about her when he looked at her. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to stick with this for a while…

"Hey, you want to go get some food off-campus?" Troy asked, snapping Manya out of her daze.

"Um… yeah. Sounds great."

--

"So, they're like a _thing _now?" Gabriella asked tentatively, her heart a little sore from the news that Troy had hooked up the previous night.

Taylor shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever, he's completely empty-headed anyway. Anywho, did you hear? Tomorrow night, party hardy!"

"Ugh! Again? I really didn't have fun last time."

"Relax, that was in enemy territory; tomorrow is in the girl's dorms!"

"Do I have to?" Gabriella whined.

"Absolutely! How else will we integrate the newest Wildcat into the upper crust of our little jungle?"

--

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